How do I track enquiries and conversions for a domestic cleaning business in the UK?

Why tracking enquiries and conversions matters for UK domestic cleaning businesses

For a domestic cleaning business in the UK, enquiries are the lifeblood of your diary. Conversions are what turn that interest into money in your bank account. If you don’t track both properly, it’s easy to stay busy while still feeling like you’re guessing: guessing which advertising actually works, guessing why some customers don’t book, and guessing whether your prices and packages are helping or hurting your close rate.

Tracking doesn’t have to mean buying expensive software or turning your business into a spreadsheet factory. It simply means you know, with reasonable certainty, where each enquiry came from, what happened next, and what outcome it produced. When you can see that clearly, you can improve the parts that are leaking sales, double down on the channels that bring great customers, and make your whole business run more smoothly.

This guide explains a practical, UK-focused way to track enquiries and conversions for domestic cleaning, using a system that works whether you’re a solo cleaner, a small team, or growing into multiple cleaners across different postcodes. You’ll also see how a free invoicing tool like invoice24 can help you connect the dots between “someone asked” and “someone paid” without adding admin.

Define what counts as an enquiry and what counts as a conversion

Before you track anything, decide what the words mean for your business. Otherwise you’ll collect numbers you can’t compare month to month. For a domestic cleaning business, an “enquiry” usually means any new person who contacts you about a service, pricing, availability, or booking. Enquiries can arrive via phone calls, WhatsApp messages, contact forms, Facebook messages, Instagram DMs, email, or even a neighbour asking in person.

A “conversion” can mean different things depending on your goals. Many cleaners treat a conversion as a confirmed booking (first clean booked into the diary). Others define conversion as the first paid invoice (money received), which is even more reliable because it avoids counting no-shows or cancellations as successes. You can track both if you want: booking conversion and payment conversion.

Here are helpful definitions you can use:

Enquiry: a new lead who contacts you for a quote, availability, or booking information.

Qualified enquiry: an enquiry that matches your service area, services offered, minimum job size, and availability.

Quote sent: you have provided a price or package suggestion (even if informal).

Booking confirmed: a date/time is agreed and confirmed.

First clean completed: the first job has happened.

Paid customer: you have received payment for the first job (ideal “conversion” definition).

When you track these stages, you can see where leads drop off. Are you getting plenty of enquiries but not enough qualified enquiries? Are you sending quotes that don’t turn into bookings? Are first jobs happening but payments are late? Each problem has a different fix.

Set up a simple funnel for domestic cleaning leads

A funnel is just the journey from first contact to paid customer. Domestic cleaning funnels are usually shorter than larger trades because customers want speed and reassurance. A simple funnel you can implement in an afternoon looks like this:

1) Enquiry received

2) Details captured (name, postcode, property type, service needed)

3) Price given / quote sent

4) Booking confirmed

5) Job completed

6) Invoice issued

7) Payment received

Notice that invoicing and payment are part of the funnel. That matters because the best conversion metric is often “paid” rather than “booked.” If you’re offering regular cleans, you can also track “retained after 4 weeks” or “converted to recurring,” but start with paid.

invoice24 fits neatly into the later stages: once a booking is confirmed (or after the clean is completed), you can issue a clear invoice, maintain a record of the job, and track what’s been paid. Even if you do a mix of cash, bank transfer, and card, having a consistent invoicing process makes the end of the funnel measurable and professional.

Decide what you want to learn from your tracking

Tracking works best when you have a handful of questions you want answered. Otherwise it turns into busywork. For most UK domestic cleaning businesses, these are the high-impact questions:

Which channels generate the best enquiries? (Google Business Profile, Facebook groups, paid ads, leaflets, referrals, Checkatrade-style directories, local SEO, etc.)

Which channels generate the best conversions? Some sources bring lots of price shoppers; others bring people who value reliability and book quickly.

How long does it take to convert? If most bookings happen within 48 hours, you know speed matters more than long follow-ups.

What’s the average value of a converted customer? For one-off deep cleans, value might be the invoice amount. For regular cleans, you might estimate a monthly value or an expected lifetime value.

What are the most common reasons you lose enquiries? Out of area, no availability, price, unrealistic expectations, not replying, or choosing another cleaner.

Once you can answer those questions, you’ll make better decisions about pricing, marketing spend, and your schedule.

Capture the right data at the moment an enquiry arrives

The easiest time to capture information is when the customer is already messaging you. If you wait until later, you’ll forget where they came from or lose key details. You don’t need a long form; you need a consistent mini-checklist.

For every enquiry, capture:

Name: first name is usually enough.

Phone number and/or email: whichever they use.

Postcode (first part at minimum): so you can qualify quickly.

Service type: regular, deep clean, end of tenancy, one-off, after builders, ironing, etc.

Property details: bedrooms/bathrooms, pets, key access, frequency requested.

Preferred start date/time window: helps you avoid long back-and-forth.

Source: where they found you (this is critical).

“Source” can be as simple as: Google, Facebook, Instagram, referral, leaflet, directory, other. If you can be a little more specific, even better: “Google Business Profile,” “Facebook group: Smithfield Residents,” “Referral: Sarah P,” “Leaflet: January drop,” and so on.

When someone rings you, ask one extra question near the end: “Just so I can keep track, where did you find us?” Most people answer happily.

Create a tracking system you’ll actually use

The best tracking system is the one you can maintain on a busy week. You have three practical options:

Option A: A simple spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel). This is the most common starting point and works well if you keep it minimal.

Option B: A basic CRM or pipeline board (like a kanban board). It’s visual and makes follow-ups easier, but can be more admin unless you’re disciplined.

Option C: A hybrid approach where you capture leads in a spreadsheet and then use invoice24 to track the “money end” with invoices and payments.

For most domestic cleaning businesses, Option C is a sweet spot. The spreadsheet handles lead sources and early-stage notes. invoice24 handles customers, invoices, and payments, which are the final and most important conversion signals. You get a clean picture without paying for complicated sales tools that are designed for corporate pipelines.

A simple spreadsheet layout for enquiries and conversions

If you use a spreadsheet, keep it lean. Here’s a structure that works well:

Columns:

Date of enquiry

Name

Contact (phone/email)

Postcode

Service type

Quoted price

Status (New / Qualified / Quote sent / Booked / Completed / Invoiced / Paid / Lost)

Source

Follow-up date

Loss reason (if lost)

Notes

That’s it. If you try to track too many fields (square footage, number of windows, product preferences), the sheet becomes a burden. Keep those details in your messages or a separate job note, and only track what helps you measure conversion.

Once you’re invoicing through invoice24, the later funnel stages become easier. When you issue an invoice, you can match it back to the lead entry by name and date. Over time, you’ll learn which lead sources result in paid invoices most reliably.

Use consistent statuses so your numbers mean something

The status column is where your tracking becomes powerful. It’s tempting to make dozens of statuses, but consistency matters more than detail. Aim for 7–10 statuses maximum and use them the same way every time.

A good set for domestic cleaning is:

New: enquiry received but not yet responded to.

Qualified: in area and suitable job type.

Quote sent: price provided.

Booked: first appointment confirmed.

Completed: first clean done.

Invoiced: invoice issued (invoice24 is perfect here).

Paid: payment received (your strongest conversion).

Lost: didn’t proceed.

Then decide one rule: when do you move a lead to the next status? For example, “Booked” only when there is a specific date/time confirmed, not when they say “I’ll let you know.” “Paid” only when the money is in.

Track lead source properly across calls, forms, and social media

Lead source tracking is the difference between “I think Facebook works” and “Facebook groups produce 60% of my paid customers.” Here are practical, UK-appropriate ways to do it without complicated analytics.

Google Business Profile enquiries

If you have a Google Business Profile, you’ll likely receive calls and message clicks from it. You won’t always know it’s Google unless you ask. Make “Where did you find us?” part of your script. When someone says “I just googled cleaners near me,” mark the source as Google.

Tip: If you’re experimenting with different local areas, ask for their specific search term or note the postcode. Over time you’ll see where Google is strongest.

Website contact form enquiries

If your website has a form, add a required dropdown that asks “How did you hear about us?” Keep it simple: Google, Facebook, Instagram, Referral, Leaflet, Other. This captures source automatically without you having to remember.

If you’re using invoice24 on your website or linking to it from your site, keep the journey short: enquiry, quote, booking, invoice. The less friction, the higher the conversion.

Facebook and Instagram enquiries

Social enquiries can be messy because they come via comments, messages, and group posts. Standardise it by using short labels when you log them: “FB group,” “FB page,” “IG DM,” “IG story.” If you’re posting in local groups, add the group name. You’ll soon learn which groups bring serious bookings versus casual browsers.

WhatsApp enquiries

WhatsApp is popular in the UK for service businesses. The challenge is that people forward numbers, so “referral” and “WhatsApp” get mixed. Ask a simple question: “Was it a friend who recommended us, or did you find us online?” If it was a recommendation, record it as referral and optionally note the person’s name.

Leaflets and door drops

Offline tracking is possible if you include a tiny identifier. For example, print a code on the leaflet like “Quote code: JAN24” or use a dedicated phone number if you have one. Even simpler: ask the customer and record “Leaflet.” If you run drops in specific streets, note the area. You’ll learn which locations respond best.

Referrals

Referrals often convert at the highest rate. Track them carefully, because they tell you where your best customers come from. When you record a referral, add the referrer’s name in your notes. Over time you’ll see which customers generate multiple referrals, and you can thank them or offer a small loyalty perk if that fits your brand.

Turn tracking into real conversion metrics

Once you have enquiry counts and statuses, you can calculate conversion rates that guide decisions. These are the most useful for domestic cleaning:

Response rate: Percentage of enquiries you respond to within your target time (for example within 1 hour or within the same day). Speed is a competitive advantage in cleaning.

Qualification rate: Qualified enquiries ÷ total enquiries. If this is low, your marketing may be attracting the wrong postcodes or job types.

Quote-to-booking rate: Booked ÷ Quote sent. If this is low, your pricing, messaging, or trust signals may need work.

Booking-to-paid rate: Paid ÷ Booked. If this is low, you may have cancellation issues, scheduling friction, or payment delays.

Overall conversion rate: Paid ÷ total enquiries. This is your headline metric.

You don’t need to calculate these every day. Do it monthly, and keep the numbers in a simple summary tab: total enquiries, total paid conversions, conversion rate, top sources, and average invoice value.

invoice24 helps you pin down the “paid” part cleanly. Instead of guessing whether someone paid or scrolling through bank statements, you have a consistent invoicing record for each customer. That makes your conversion metrics far more trustworthy.

Connect enquiries to invoices so you can measure revenue by source

Conversion rates are good. Revenue by source is better. A channel that brings fewer customers but higher-value deep cleans can be more profitable than a channel that brings lots of low-margin regular cleans. To track revenue by source, you need to connect the lead record to the invoice amount.

A simple method:

1) In your spreadsheet, give each lead a Lead ID (like 2026-001, 2026-002) or just rely on date + name.

2) When the customer books and becomes a real job, create the invoice in invoice24 using the same customer name and include a short reference in the description (for example, “First clean – FB group lead” or “Deep clean – Google”).

3) When the invoice is paid, record the paid amount in your spreadsheet against that lead (optional) or rely on invoice24 for payment status and totals.

Even if you don’t copy amounts back into the sheet, invoice24 becomes your source of truth for revenue and payment status. The spreadsheet becomes your source of truth for lead source and early-stage funnel data. Together, they create a complete picture.

As your business grows, you can simplify further by treating invoice24 as the customer record and using your enquiry tracker only for new leads. Once a lead converts, the invoice trail in invoice24 becomes the ongoing record.

Make follow-ups systematic without feeling pushy

In domestic cleaning, a large percentage of conversions happen because you follow up politely. People get busy, compare options, or forget to respond. A simple follow-up rhythm can lift your quote-to-booking rate without any extra marketing spend.

A practical sequence:

After quote sent (same day): “Just checking you received the quote and if you’d like me to hold a slot for you.”

Next day: “I’ve got availability on X or Y. Would either suit?”

3–5 days later: “No problem if you’ve gone another direction. If you still need help, I can fit you in next week.”

Track follow-ups with a simple “Follow-up date” column in your spreadsheet. If you’re using a calendar, you can also add a reminder, but the spreadsheet is usually enough if you check it daily.

Once a booking is confirmed, invoicing promptly with invoice24 reinforces professionalism and reduces payment chasing later. Customers take clear invoices seriously, and it creates a consistent expectation about payment timing.

Reduce admin by using templates and standard questions

One reason tracking fails is that it feels like extra work. The fix is standardisation. Create a set of standard questions you ask every new enquiry and a few saved message templates you can paste quickly.

Standard questions for UK domestic cleaning:

Postcode and parking situation

Property type (flat/house) and bedrooms/bathrooms

Service type (regular, deep, end of tenancy)

Preferred frequency (weekly/fortnightly/monthly)

Pets

Access (key safe, home, concierge)

Preferred days/times

When you collect these consistently, your quotes are faster, your bookings are smoother, and your tracking data is cleaner. That alone improves conversion because customers feel you’re organised.

invoice24 supports that organised experience on the payment side. When your invoices look consistent and professional, it reduces “Can you resend that?” messages and builds trust for new customers who may not know you yet.

Track cancellations, reschedules, and no-shows separately

Domestic cleaning is vulnerable to last-minute changes. If you only track “booked” and “paid,” you might miss a major issue: diary instability. It’s worth tracking cancellations and reschedules because they affect revenue and stress.

In your tracker, add a simple note or a status variation like “Booked (rescheduled)” or a separate “Outcome” field. Keep it minimal. The goal is to notice patterns:

Do certain lead sources cancel more?

Are one-off cleans more likely to reschedule than regular customers?

Do particular time slots lead to more no-shows?

When you see a pattern, you can adjust policies: deposits for deep cleans, clearer confirmation messages, or tighter booking windows.

On the invoicing side, invoice24 makes it easier to keep records of what was agreed and billed. That can reduce disputes and give you clarity when customers query charges after a reschedule.

Use pricing and packaging to improve conversion

Tracking isn’t just about numbers; it’s about improving them. If your quote-to-booking rate is low, your pricing and packaging may be part of the story. Domestic cleaning customers often struggle to compare cleaners because services can be vague. Clear packages can raise conversion because customers understand what they’re buying.

Examples of clear packages:

Regular clean: standard checklist, time estimate, frequency options.

Deep clean: detailed list of included tasks, optional add-ons (oven, fridge, inside windows).

End of tenancy: estate-agent-friendly checklist, receipts/invoices provided, turnaround times.